038 PROJECT 2
SITUATED AT the corner of St James’s and Little St James’s Street in the heart of Westminster is a former members’ club which has been transformed into prime multi-tenant workspace by architecture practice Squire & Partners. The building, comprised of two elements, is a Grade II listed Victorian structure on St James’s Street and a rear building added to the west of the site as part of a redevelopment undertaken in 2001. Twenty years after this initial intervention, Squire & Partners was briefed to reimagine and transform 78 St James’s Street into a highly collaborative, clubhouse-style working environment with a variety of spaces that can be used 24 hours a day to support contemporary working patterns.
‘Having worked at 78 St James’s Street two decades ago, Squire & Partners was invited by BentallGreenOak to return to the site and continue shaping its future, upgrading the single- tenant HQ building to a multi-tenant, amenity-led workspace,’ comments Tim Gledstone, partner at Squire & Partners. ‘Twenty years on and the world is ready to travel back to the future! We now recognise that generous and grand proportions – such as those found in the heritage spaces – are required to make us feel and work better.’
Its architecture and interior design teams have worked in tandem to deliver this project. The practice has restructured the building to enhance connectivity between the heritage element and the west wing extension, enabling the client to multi-let the development in line with current market demand. In addition, the reception has been doubled in frontage, and a rooftop pavilion and garden have replaced ineficient plant space. Internally, finishes have been meticulously considered. Generous, state-of-the-art amenities have been sensitively incorporated into Grade II listed areas of the building, offering tenants an exclusive experience whilst reinstating the remarkable spaces the
building was originally designed to offer. Externally, the original heritage entrance on St James’s Street has been restored to enhance the 1840s stonework and custom flags have been installed. Internally, a feature sculpture and planting highlight grand steps that welcome guests into the striking heritage reception at the heart of the building, known as the Saloon. Now reinstated as a key circulation route between the heritage building and the extension, it features contemporary furniture upholstered in bold colours offsetting the intricate heritage frescos, the floor tiling and the original dome on the fourth floor.
Leading on from the Saloon, is the Morning Room: a striking example of 19th century architecture which overlooks St James’s Street. This has been transformed into a club-style business lounge, reminiscent of its original function during the building’s life as a members’ club. Its colour palette creates a follow on from the Saloon, whilst echoing the natural seasonal tones of the nearby Royal Parks. Greens, blues, reds, greys and touches of gold in bouclé, velvet cord, moiré and tapestry fabrics echo the grandeur of the space, whilst creating a contemporary feel.
Designed in collaboration with English bespoke furniture and joinery makers Benchmark, a freestanding bar, banquette seating, consoles and tables offer a contemporary take on the building’s rich heritage features. A set of bespoke screens – also designed with Benchmark – enable tenants to zone the space, meaning the room can be used by multiple groups simultaneously and minimising disruption to each other. Two suspended chandeliers comprised of light rods set within a bronze frame echo the classical chandeliers that used to hang in the space. An existing atrium has been rearranged to enhance connectivity between the heritage areas and the extension, previously only accessible via Little St James’s Street. In
addition, the entrance to the extension has been widened to establish a heightened sense of arrival into a contemporary yet comfortable reception area. A circular suede sofa arrangement and round coffee tables complement the new stone floor design – inspired by patterns found in the historical drawings of the library that previously occupied this part of the site. A discreet bronze welcome plinth and pair of bronze and suede benches, also designed by Squire & Partners in collaboration with Benchmark, replace a formal reception desk. A screen showing vibrant artwork is integrated into bespoke joinery that provides storage. Suspended above the lift lobby, a light rod installation references the new external illuminated canopy and chandeliers in the Morning Room, creating coherence throughout the ground floor spaces. Eight floors of flexible, state-of-the-art workspace located in the newer west wing have been refurbished and finished to CAT A standard to create large, optimised floorplates which are configurable according to occupier needs. Services have been replaced and upgraded to maximise comfort throughout the building, and the fourth and fifth floors now benefit from sunny private terraces with furniture, planters and openable windows.
On the sixth floor, former plant areas have been consolidated and rationalised to enable the creation of a 3,500 sq ft rooftop pavilion and planted terrace, which offers sweeping views across Westminster and Green Park. Terrace furniture and integrated seating create a multi-use space suitable for meetings, socialising and large events, whilst landscaping – including a living green wall and large planters – offer a connection to nature, with borrowed scenery from the views beyond. Internally, the new pavilion features banquette seating and a bespoke bar serving daytime snacks and evening drinks, providing an additional work environment away from the desk or meeting room. The vaulted lower ground floor and basement floors of the building house a wellness suite, health facility room, deli and multipurpose room known as the Collab Space. Designed to have a positive impact on those working in the building, the wellness suite features a treatment table, exercise areas and provides a discrete consultation room for occupiers to host drop-in clinics. The spacious and entirely flexible Collab Space can be used as an auditorium or fitness suite, with integrated joinery offering ample space to store equipment to transform the room according to the desired configuration. In the basement, end of trip amenities such as luxury changing rooms, showers and lockers complement 150 secure cycle racks, folding cycle storage and a bicycle maintenance station. These facilities encourage active and sustainable commutes to and from this busy central London location.
Gledstone comments: ‘Modern ways of working require much more than a desk. Designed to be used twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, 78 St James’s Street offers state-of-the-art facilities as well as space to innovate, collaborate and entertain. Our design celebrates these unique features and works with the existing assets to maximise the building’s character and charm. Contemporary elements that complement this unique setting have been introduced to create a modern clubhouse atmosphere, reminiscent of the building’s original use as a members’ club.’
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